By Donald W. Morgan
The most decorated Marine Corps General is forced from retirement to fight one last battle against powerful enemies of the United States—the financiers and industrialists of Wall Street.
Feature-length Movie (Inspired by a True Story) | Action, Political
Lookbook
Think of All The President’s Men meets Patton.
Synopsis
No amount of money can buy honor.
Inspired by a real-life story… after 33 years of military service spanning the Spanish-American War, the Boxer Rebellion, the Banana Wars, World War I, and service in China, two-time Medal of Honor awardee Major General Smedley D. Butler, USMC, is drawn into a plot to lead an army of 500,000 veterans to march on Washington and remove President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) from office.
In 1934, America is a deeply divided country; split between those with almost unimaginable wealth and power who cling to a past that will never again be, and those desperate souls simply wishing for enough food and basic necessities to get through another day. In the gap stands FDR, who finds his policies intended to pull America out of the Great Depression bring him into conflict with a powerful group of Wall Street insiders. These are the most select of the Elite, and they have decided FDR must be stopped at all costs, even if American democracy is lost forever to a Fascist dictatorship.
The group of Elites gathers at one of New York’s most prestigious office buildings, where even FDR once had his own offices. They have money, influence, and purpose, but lack one thing—a military icon who can organize and lead their planned army of 500,000 veterans to descend upon Washington to force FDR to resign as President. Underestimating Butler’s patriotism and their own misunderstanding of his previous service as the military force that advanced Wall Street’s interests around the world, the group selects him to be their man to lead the coup against FDR.
The plotters could not have made a greater mistake, as Butler takes on his last and most important battle—for the survival of America’s democracy. Assisting Butler are the most unlikely allies of his career: Eddie “Knocko” McCormack, the Boston mobster brother of future Speaker of the House John McCormack; the intrepid newspaper reporter Paul French; private detective Vince O’Farrell; and his own wife Ethel ““Bunny” Butler. Inspired by the true events, this is a story of how the most powerful of America’s industrialists and financiers were thwarted in their attempt to save their fortunes from FDR’s New Deal by the one man who could never be bought, Smedley D. Butler.
Banner Image Credit: University fo North Carolina, Moving Image Research Collections
Thumbnail Image Credit: San Diego Historical Society
Script
Bible
